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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · face · pound · chip · root · content · rest · pass

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rest — what's left
  7. root — the cause
  8. face — to confront
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. root — of a word
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. face — part of the head
  16. content — the amount
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. root — of a plant
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pass — a permit
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com